In the Absence of Miracles by Michael J Malone #review @michaeljmalone1 @orendabooks @annecater #AbsenceofMiracles

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you all have some exciting plans for the weekend.

I’m sharing my review today for In the Absence of Miracles by Michael J Malone as part of the blog tour and I’d like to thank Anne Cater for the invite and Orenda Books for the copy.

About the book

A young man discovers a family secret that turns his world upside down in this dark, emotive, shocking psychological thriller by number-one bestselling author Michael J. Malone

John Docherty’s mother has just been taken into a nursing home following a massive stroke and she’s unlikely to be able to live independently again.

With no other option than to sell the family home, John sets about packing up everything in the house. In sifting through the detritus of his family’s past he’s forced to revisit, and revise his childhood.

For in a box, in the attic, he finds undeniable truth that he had a brother who disappeared when he himself was only a toddler. A brother no one ever mentioned. A brother he knew absolutely nothing about. A discovery that sets John on a journey from which he may never recover.

For sometimes in that space where memory should reside there is nothing but silence, smoke and ash. And in the absence of truth, in the absence of a miracle, we turn to prayer. And to violence.

In the Absence of Miracles is available to purchase now – Amazon

My thoughts

When John Docherty’s mum suffers a stroke and is no longer able to stay at home she is moved into a nursing home where she can have round the clock care, this isn’t cheap so the only way John can continue to pay is if he sells the family home. With his father having passed many years ago and his younger brother Chris living in another country it’s up to John to sort everything out. Clearing things out ready for selling, John makes a discovery that will change his life forever.

I really liked Johns character, he’s a teacher and he really cares about his job but as things progress it’s tough for him to give 100%. He’s also in a relationship with Angela, it’s been on and off for 2 years and although he really does love her he can’t seem to commit to the relationship which should be a natural process. Angela has a young daughter and wants commitment but something is stopping John.

In the Absence of Miracles, Malone focuses on some very dark and disturbing issues and even though they are disturbing and quite hard to read he has written these scenes with sensitivity. I’ll not lie and tell you I did have a tear in my eye at many parts of the book. I cared for the characters and felt the pain they were feeling even though I’ve never been in any of their situations but that’s the powerful writing from Malone, you care, you feel and you end up totally emotionally invested in the story.

There’s a real mystery to In the Absence of Miracles and I couldn’t help being totally drawn in. I actually got so invested in the story I found it so difficult to put down and kept thinking about it and even dreaming about it. It’s a story where you really want to keep turning the pages as fast as you can to find out what will happen next but there’s a fear that you’re not going to like what happens.

This review really doesn’t do In the Absence of Miracles any justice what so ever and I apologise, I want to say soooo much but really don’t want to spoil anything. So I’ll end here by saying that I definitely recommend you go buy this book and read it immediately, I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed at all.

Follow the tour